Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to piping for gas meters, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an adjustable meter loop assembly.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Natural gas is a fuel used widely for industrial and domestic heating. To determine the amount of gas a customer consumes, a gas company interposes a gas meter in the gas line leading into each customer""s dwelling. The gas meter connects a gas supply line leading from a gas supply to a gas service line extending to the point of use.
The gas supply line is generally buried underground and includes a riser that extends from the ground at the point where the gas meter is to be positioned. The riser also accommodates ancillary components, such as shut off valves and flow regulators. Similarly, the gas service line includes a riser that extends back into the ground, or the riser runs directly into the side of the dwelling. An inlet of the gas meter is connected to the riser of the gas supply line and an outlet of the gas meter is connected to the riser of the gas service line such that the gas meter is suspended between the two risers.
The connection between the inlet of the gas meter and the riser is often accomplished by using a series of nipples and elbows which results in the creation of multiple points of potential leaks. To overcome this problem, pre-fabricated meter loop assemblies have been proposed. Such meter loop assemblies are generally one piece manifolds used to connect the gas meter to the gas supply line and the gas service line. A typical meter loop assembly will include an inlet conduit, an outlet conduit, and a brace welded to the inlet conduit and the outlet conduit. A problem encountered with the use of the pre-fabricated meter loop assembly is the inability to make adjustments at a job site because of the rigidity of the meter loop assembly. If the gas service line extending from the dwelling is at a slight angle or if it is at the wrong location relative to the gas supply line, the meter loop assembly is difficult to install thus necessitating the repositioning of the meter loop assembly during installation which can only be done by moving the gas supply line, moving the gas service line, or adding new fittings which would be subject to leakage.
Another problem encountered with one piece meter loop assemblies is the amount of space required for shipping and storage. Because the meter loop assemblies are formed as one piece, they are incapable of being folded into a compact structure. This contributes to higher freight costs and additional storage requirements at warehouses and on installers"" trucks.
To this end, a need exists for an adjustable meter loop assembly so that the relative position of the gas inlet and the gas outlet of the meter loop assembly may be selectively altered to facilitate installation, shipping, and storage of the meter loop assembly.